Water-level-indicating system.



A. B. WALTON.

WATER LEVEL INDIGATING SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 21, 1909.

Patented J an. 7, 1913.

.z'znssssa @m I 25 arz'zE UNITED STATES ATENT FF'IQE.

ALLYN WALTON, OF LORAIN, OHIO.

WATER-LEVEL-INDIGATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7,1913.

Application flledOctober 21, 1909. Serial No. 523,817.

.certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Level-Indicating Systems,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in water level indicating system,and has for its object the provision of means for directly indicating ata distance, the varying levels in the water ballast tanks of the bilgeof steamships.

Although I am aware that a number of electrical and mechanicalindicators have previously been devised, it is well known that theordinary sounding rod or line is still resorted to, because of certaincomplications and features of unreliability in all previous devices withwhich I am acquainted. Thus, a system depending upon the use of a float,or of unsubstantial apparatus which may be subjected to the violentaction of thewater in the tank or bilge,

'will be found under ordinary sailing conditions to be inadequate andunreliable, even though well adapted for service upon shore.

Accordingly, my purpose has been to provide thoroughly practical meansfor equipping a vessel, so that the readings or measurements may bepositively obtained under all conditions, and maybe simultaneouslysecured in the wheel house, engine-room, the captains room, or in otherplaces about the vessel, as required.

Referring first in a preliminary way to the apparatus and system of myinvention, I may state that within the several water ballastcompartments or within the bilge of the vessel, are provided suitableinclosing pipes forming one elect-rode of the electric circuit, andperforated from below to admit the water, while within said pipes arerespeotively' maintained the opposite electrode in the form of a rod orconductive wire, preferably extending centrally from the top to thebottom of said pipes, and electrically insulated therefrom. Connectedtherewith in multiple relation, is a suitable source of electricalenergy, and at the points where the readings are to be made there' arepositioned for connecting in circuit therewith, suitably calibratedelectrical measuring apparatus and switches or contact mechanism forestablishing circuit with the respective liquid measuring appliances ofthe tanks. Suitable means are provided for readjusting the apparatusfrom time to time; the details of all the foregoing being more fullyexplained in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure Iis a diagram illustrating my system as applied to four compartments of asteamship, for indicating the water levels at two different points. Fig.II illustrates the preferred form of switching or contactmakingmechanism, in association with the calibrated measuring instrument. Fig.III is a somewhat diagrammatic view, illustrating the preferred form ofelectrode positioned within the water-containing compartment of avessel, shown in cross-section. Fig. IV is a detail view showing one ofthe pipe electrodes with the insulated conductor therein; said viewshowing the parts in vertical section and centrally broken away. Fig. Vis a detail showing the inclosing pipe with two paired electrodes,respectively adapted for connection with the opposite poles of thebattery.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings, I have employed the samereference characters to indicate similar parts.

Certain structural details in the drawings will first be explained, andthen by the aid of diagrams, the complete system of my invention will.be more readily understood. Since the apparatus of my invention must besubjected to severe working conditions, I have sought first to equip thevessel so that the simplest apparatus, suitably protected I may be used,and its operation will not be interfered with by the pitching or rollingof the vessel, and the movement of the water within the severalcompartments. Accordingly, one of each pair of electrodes preferably isin the form of a pipe suitably perforated or open at the bottom topermit the passage of the water; said pipe being mounted directly uponthe hull or bulkhead, and

Accordingly, the indicating apparatus may be duplicated and placed inthe various positions of the vessel, as required. Primarily, thesepositions are in'the wheel house and in the engine room, so that thepumps controlling the water in the various tanks may be under theintelligent supervision of the commanding officer and chief engineer.The importance of this cannot well be over estimated, to vesselsequipped with water ballast compartments adapted for trimming thesteamship under conditions of shifting cargo, rapid loading, or varyingweather conditions,

In said drawings, the .pipes at provided with openings a near theirbases, are electrically connected with the common return,

conductor 1. Associated wit-h said conductor fore and aft is anadjustable'resistance 2, a suitable source of current B, and a meter 3,suitably calibrated to show the readings in feet and inches preferably.Conductors l, 2, 3 and 4' respectively extend from the centralelectrodes 6 of the measuring apparatus to corresponding switchapparatus or push buttons '0', 0 0 and 0* preferably situated upon thediagram board A, Fig. II. Thus the circuit through the measuringinstrument 3 is adapted to be closed through any one of saidcompartments and the associated measuring instrument either fore er aftIt will be observed that upon the diagram board is shown in plan view A,the relation of the several tanks or water containing compartments uponthe vessel, so that the engineer or ofiicer by pressing thecorresponding button, may at once read in feet and inches uponinstrument 3, the depth of water in any compartment. An additionalpush-button t is provided for testing the battery, so that theresistance 2 may be adjusted, as. by turning the rotatable finger pieceA as in an ordinary rheostah No improvement contained in the device,shown in Fig. II, is sought to be claimed in the present application,but certain features thereof, together with other additionalimprovements, are reserved for patenting, and claimed in my co-pendingapplication, Ser. No. 533,947, filed December 18, 1909.

As indicated in the. drawings, the electrodes for effecting themeasurement, comprise a conductive wire 6, or a small rod secured withlnthe recessed insulating block a at the base of the pipe 0; said wire orrod being attached at its upper end to another insulating block a at thetop of saidpipe, Where co-acting adjusting nuts a are provided fordrawing the wire taut. At intervals along the wirev there may beprovided insulators b for maintaining the wire out of electrical contactwith the pipe.

These electrodes Z) may have a fixed resistance throughout the system,or, as I shall the pipe.

roaacca explain, a copper wire or rod of negligible resistance may beemployed. The latter construction is practicable and desirable, since itwill be remembered that the negative electrode, or the interior of thepipe, upon the passage of current, will be partially insulated wit-h afilm of hydrogen decomposed from the water, and the resistance betweenthe electrodes will be reduced proportionately as the water increases inheight within As indicated in the drawing; the lower portion a of thepipe may be of reater diameterthan the upper portion a since thereadings in the lower'portion are of most importance, and this portionshould be more accurately calibrated. Moreover, two flattened rods ormetallic strips b -b"-' may be insulatingly mounted within the pipe a,and serve instead as the electrodes for effecting the measurement of thewater level. Inasmuch as the pipes are open at the bottom for the freeflow of water and have an air vent at the top to assist this function,itwill be seen that the bot-toms of the pipes will be washed free fromsediment, which might otherwise accumulate and interfere with thereadings between fixed electrodes positioned directly within thecompartment. The protected electrodes, of course, will not be thusinterfered with, nor are they liable to .damage by reason of articlesfloating on the top of the water within the compartment.

From the foregoing, it. will now be seen that the height of water in anyof the various compartments dd etc., may be indicated upon either of theinstruments 3, positioned forward and aft upon the diagram of thevessel, by reason of their respective connection with the switching orcontact-making appliances associated with, and likewise positionedthereon. Thus, the engineer in charge will know at once, or may bedirected from the wheel house, which of the compartments is to be filledor emptied, or the height of the water in any of such compartments maybe directly determined; it being-understood that all of the compartmentsare equipped with the form of electrodes electrically connected in themanner indicated by the diagram.

Inasmuch as one or both electrodes may be inclosed within a protectivepipe, pursuant to my invention just disclosed, it is apparent that theyare not liable to injury, and, moreover fluctuation of the water within.the pipe is reduced to a minimum when the vessel is rolling andpitching. Owing to the restricted openings in the bottom of the pipe, itwill be understood that the readings, particularly from the upperportion of the pipe, which is. of smaller diameter, will be moreaccurate during rough weather, by reason of the maintenance of theaverage level therein than with apparatus of some other types.Accordingly, the apparatus set forth is practical, substantial and adapted to give accurate readings under all con-.

ditions.

Having now described the preferred-embodiment of my invention, I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, the following I 1. Inapparatus of the class described, the combination with a source ofelectric current, of an electrical indicating appliance connected incircuit therewith, a liquid-containing compartment, a plurality ofelectrodes positioned within the liquid-containing compartment adaptedto be connected in circuit with the foregoing, and an inclosingprotective member of varying diameter and open at top and bottom,substantially as set forth.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with a source ofelectric current, of an electrical indicating appliance connected incircuit therewith, a switching appliance, a plurality ofliquid-containing compartments, a plurality of adjacent electrodespositioned within the liquid-containing compartments extendingsubstantially the height of the liquid to be measured, and an inclosingtube having restricted openings at top and bottom for protecting each ofsaid electrodes, substantially as set forthv 3. In apparatus of theclass described, the combination with a liquid-containing compartment,of a source of electric energy, an electrical measuring instrumentsuitably calibrated to indicate the height of the liquid, a switchingappliance all connected in circuit with a pairof electrodes positionedwithin the liquid-containing compartment; the said electrodes comprisinga pipe having restricted openings at top and bottom, and an insulatedconductor therein, both extending substantially the height of the liquidto be measured, substantially as set forth.

a. In apparatus of the class described, the combination with aliquid-containing compartment, of a source of electric energy, anelectrical measuring instrument suitably calibrated to indicate theheight of the liquid, a switching appliance all connected in circuitwith a pair of electrodes positioned within the liquid-containingcompartment; the said electrodes comprising a pipe having restrictedopenings at top and bottom, and an insulated conductor therein, bothextending substantially the height of the liquid to be measured, andassociated means for correcting the reading of the measurement,substantially as set forth.

5. In a system of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof paired electrodes respectively positioned in the severalwater-'containlng compartments of a vessel, of a source of electricalenergy connected therewith, said water-containing compartmerits and aplurality of switching appliances and associated electrical measuringinstruments respectively positioned at different points upon said vesselfor determining the height of water in said compartments, substantiallyas set forth.

6. In a system of the class described, the combination with a pluralityof paired electrodes protected by inclosin pipes andrespectivelypositioned in di erent compartments of a vessel, of a sourceof electric energy connected thereto in multiple, said Water-containingcompartments, and a plurality of calibrated measuring instruments andassociated switching appliances electrically connected therewith forindicating in different portions of the vessel the respectiveheights ofthe water in the various compartments, substantially as set forth.

7. In water-level indicating apparatus for vessels, the combination witha plurality of paired electrodes; one of each pair comprisinganinclosing pipe open at the top and bottom, and containing the otherelectrode extending substantially the height of the liquid to bemeasured, of a'source of electric current, and an electrical measuringappliance adapted for connection with said source of current and anypair of electrodes, substantially as set forth.

8. In water-level indicating apparatus for vessels, the combination witha plurality of separate compartments, of a plurality of pairedelectrodes respectively positioned therein; one of each pair comprisingan inclosing tube of greater diameter in its lower portion extending thefull height of the liquid to be measured and protecting the other of thepaired electrodes, a source of electric current, and suitable electricalmeasuring apparatus adapted to be connected in circuit with theforegoing, substantially as set forth.

Executed at Cleveland, 0., this 19th day of October, A. D. 1909, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALLYN B. l/VALTON.

WVitnesses V. G. ARMSTRONG, A. L. LAWRENCE.

